Here it comes---I can't wait!

[Powderman]

A while ago, I was looking about at various platforms from which to launch lead. I found myself recently in a most favorable position--I finally got the guns that I wanted! The gun safe is comfortably full. So, what next?

I found myself reading various articles about black powder rifles. I was kinda intrigued by the idea. Then, I started researching BPCR--Black Powder Cartridge Rifles. I was interested to say the least. Then, I went and did it--I finally went and saw "Quigley Down Under", and fell in lust. I HAD to have a rifle like that!!!

A little bit of research turned up a LOT of information. I read about the black powder cartridges everyone was familiar with--.45-70, .45 Colt, .44-40, .30-30, to name some.

I read about the "big fifty"--the .50-90 Sharps rifle. And, some cartridges that are not well known outside of BPCR circles.

I finally decided what I wanted--a Sharps rifle in .45-120. Or as some people know it, .45-120-550 (.458 bullet, 120 grains of black, 550 grain projectile.)

I looked at--where else?--Shiloh Sharps. They manufactured the Quigley guns. They turn out a quality product. They also have a 2 year waiting list.

A bit more research turned up another company--right there in Big Timber, MT, in the same vicinity as the Shiloh company. This company is C. Sharps--the C. stands for "Christian", the name of the inventor of the Sharps rifle. It is my understanding that at least one or two of the current crew are direct descendants. After a few calls, and a bit of dickering, it was done.

I spec'd out a Bridgeport Sporting Rifle, with the following items:

34" Heavy Octagon barrel
Semi Fancy wood
Pistol-gripped shotgun type stock
Case colored receiver
Globe front with spirit level
Long range rear sight
Caliber, .45-120

$500.00 for a deposit, and the rifle was in production.

I got to thinking that this was my first custom rifle, and that I wanted it to be a bit more "special". So, I made the following upgrades:

Extra fancy stock and forend;
French Gray receiver, w/my initials on the loading lever, and
German silver nosecap on the forend.

I spent the next week ordering the stuff I needed to load ammunition for the cartridge and finding some black powder. After getting everything in, I loaded up 20 rounds to break the rifle in.

It should be finished by the end of this week--a range report will be coming!

Here's a preview of the ammunition: Lyman 500 gr. spire point, 115.0 gr. Goex 1F with .620 compression; inside, one .030 overpowder wad, .060 grease cookie, .030 sealer wad.

 

[tkendrick]

You'll enjoy it and I'm jealous.

Glad you were smart enough to go with a quality company for your Sharps.

I bought a Pedersoli in 1993, nothing special mind you, and it was neat having the only 46-70 (not 45-70 mind you) in my little shooting group.

 

[dwave]

You Suck, but I mean that in a good way!

Nice sounding gun, enjoy it when you get it!

 

[esheato]

Awesome. BPCR is intriguing and I think I might try it someday.

Ed

 

[Seancass]

*waiting impatiently for the updates!

those rounds just look cool, shooting them is going to be great!

 

[sundance44s]

If those hurt your shoulder too much let me know , and I`ll break it in for ya ...lol ..wow Im jealous . Nice going many years of happyness with that one .

 

[SASS#23149]

Add me to the green with envy crowd.!!

enjoy...and get more ammo loaded ahead of time.You'll need it.

 

[Gustav]

Ahh! The .45-120 a cartridge that takes two seconds to hear it load in a chamber when you drop a round in it, Ker plunk.

Nothing more impressive than a leather belt filled with those bad boys makes a .45-70 look like a .38 Special compared to a .357 Maximum.

 

[Powderman]

Behold! It's here!

Here it is--about 14 pounds of 100% American iron. Enjoy!

 

[sundance44s]

Lucky Man ! Very nice !

 

[Jim Watson]

Well, you sure jumped in at the deep end with a .45 x 3 1/4".
Let us know how it shoots.

 

[Werewolf]

Geeeez!

And I thought that the 45-90 Quigley Down Under NRA gift cartridge I got was huge.

Do you reload those things with a press and dies? If so where'd you get the dies? If not how do you do it?

 

[Powderman]

Yes, there are dies for this cartridge, made by a couple of different companies. Mine are the RCBS Legacy Dies.

I had to buy another press specifically for this cartridge because it's too long! Fortunately, the Lee Classic Cast press is available, and does a great job; $70.00 from Midway.

Loading the cartridge is pretty straightforward; clean and size/deprime (note: cases must be lubed), then prime with Large Rifle Magnum primers; run through an expander die to VERY slightly bell the case mouth. Replace the expander ball with a compression plug of the proper diameter. Add black powder through a 24" drop tube. Now, insert an overpowder wad, and compress the charge to the desired depth. This MUST be done for even ignition of the charge; for this cartridge, I compressed to .620 below the case mouth.

A grease cookie is next, to keep fouling soft and to ensure that lube is distributed down the barrel. I used SPG lube and a lube extruder to make the cookies for this one. A sealer wad is next, to keep the grease in place and to prevent anything from sticking to the base of the bullet--important for accuracy.

The bullet shown is a Lyman 500 grain spitzer design, with grease grooves. I size to .459, and lubed the bullets with SPG. These are hand seated--simply insert the bullet and push it into the case. I recommend a wooden block with an appropriate recess to make DARNED sure that the bullet is seated firmly against the wad column and against the powder charge.

(I also polished both the cases and bullets with Simichrome polish--for something this big, it HAS to look purty! )

Here's the load info, summarized:

500 grain Lyman bullet, sized to .459, lubed with SPG lube;
A black powder "oreo" cookie/wad column consisting of:
1 .030 vegetable fiber over powder wad;
1 .060 SPG grease cookie;
1 .030 vegetable fiber sealer wad

115 grains Goex 1Fg black powder, compressed to .620 below the case mouth;

Norma .45-3.25 cases (aka .45 Basic)

A range report will be forthcoming!

 

[Werewolf]

Thanks Powderman:

That's an interesting process which I will keep for future reference.

 

[esheato]

Now that's a rifle!

We need groups on paper......now.

Ed

 

[AntiqueCollector]

Nice gun!

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I am envious.

 

[Powderman]

I did it---shots fired!

Finally, the day had come; I managed to stop working overtime long enough to head out to the range.

I had read and studied extensively about how to shoot and care for a black powder cartridge rifle. Thus, I took with me:

Cleaning rod, of the proper length;
.45 caliber rifle bore brushes, rod eyes and jags;
Plenty of good GI spec cotton patches;
One large butter tub for a soap water bath;
One empty Hoppe’s quart bottle, filled with even more soapy water;
A dropper-type dispenser;
A Tipton cleaning rest, and
Some regular Hoppe’s #9.

My son went with me too; after all, this rifle will be his someday.

I set everything up, and targets were pasted up at 50 and 100 yards.

The rifle sat in gleaming repose on the sandbags. I sat behind it; opened the action and checked the bore.

I picked up one round of .45-120 that I had so carefully loaded, looked at it for a second and slid it into the breech. It seated easily with a muted “click”. The action closed easily and I built my position.

Shoulder rolled forward, but loose at the waist to absorb recoil; the stock weld firmly locked in with my eye centered in the aperture; the hammer pulled back to its fully cocked position. All was ready as I pulled the rear trigger, feeling a small click as the front trigger set itself to four ounces of pull.

Two more breaths and I let the front aperture set itself and center in the rear aperture. I concentrated on the aperture and centered target. My trigger finger touched the front trigger.

The hammer flew forward and the primer detonated. 115 grains of good black powder took fire and sent a Lyman 500 grain spitzer downrange…..

“BOOM!”

The rifle settled into my shoulder like an old friend.

The first round took the target at 11 O’Clock at 50 yards, out of the scoring rings.

After adjusting the sights, my son and I were able to center punch a bullseye each at 50 yards.

As for recoil---what recoil?!? It feels like a regular 12 gauge field load.

Fortunately, I have tomorrow off as well—it’s back to the range, and then I’ll shoot a few for group. I’m VERY happy with this rifle!

 

[Tommygunn]

I read about the black powder cartridges everyone was familiar with--.45-70, .45 Colt, .44-40, .30-30, to name some.

Just a minor nitpick; .30-30 was never a blackpowder round. This may be confusing because of its designation, which is how many BP rounds were labeled.
The round came out in 1895 and was the first American sporting round chambered in smokeless powder. Some people who reloaded may have reloaded BP in it at the time, but the round was loaded with smokeless from the factory.
There were other rounds used in military rifles that used smokeless prior to the .30-30. In fact I seem to recall reading Theodore Roosevelt reloaded some of his BP cartridges in smokeless powder even before the .30-30.

 

[Gustav]

That sir is a fine rifle, it makes my .45-70 Sharpes look pale in comparison.

 

[dwave]

There were other rounds used in military rifles that used smokeless prior to the .30-30.

The .30-40 Krag used smokeless, but kept the naming from the BP carts. It was a .30 Cal round that used 40 grs. of smokeless.

 

[Jim Watson]

Hope you put your empties in that extra bottle of soapy water.
A single shot rifle is really rather easy to clean up from black powder, but the brass has to be washed. A test tube or baby bottle brush is about right... until you get your rotary tumbler and ceramic media.